Inflation is up, caseload is up, and, thanks be to God, donations are also up.  Their case loading this past year is higher than it’s ever been, but support from Mater Dei parishioners is also higher than ever.  Their conference takes great strength from the goings-on in our parish.  The additional liturgies and Tenebrae office during Holy Week keep us moving cheerily through the long-suffering aspect of our work. The local processions for the Purification, Palm Sunday, Corpus Christi, together with an annual cross-town procession united with a neighboring parish for the feast of Our Lady of Fatima engender the notion of direct accompaniment by the saints in heaven.  This year they held the May Crowning of Our Lady on the feast of her Queenship, so strikingly appropriate for honoring their Patroness.  And we were graced to have 120 hours of continual adoration leading up to the feast of the Sacred Heart, an indescribably calming grace in the midst of social calamity flaring up all around.  Coming right off the feast of the Precious Blood, we continue to have our special Mass and reception for St. Vincent de Paul Society families on the Monday closest to the feast of St. Vincent de Paul (July 19th on our calendar).

The St. Vincent de Paul Conference (SVdP) at Mater Dei ministers to those in need within our parish boundaries through donations from the parish and individuals, providing monetary assistance for rent, utilities, and other necessities.We minister to “friends in need” who have contacted SVdP through the Dallas area Help Line, which is the starting point for contact in our ministry. Using established protocols, we work one-on-one through phone calls to understand the full scope of the requested assistance. Our ministry uses group networking, a list of resources and other guidelines to determine the best assistance available.We meet every Tuesday at 7pm; 3x/month via Zoom and once/month at the parish. We welcome those interested to attend a meeting, get to know us and join our ministry.